Yet Another Supermarket: Trader Joe's Set to Open Near Tosa

When Meijer Inc. requested permits for a new supercenter store in Wauwatosa, there was some discussion about oversaturating the grocery market in the area.

It's about to get a bit more crowded yet.

The long-anticipated opening of Trader Joe's, just four blocks from the Tosa city limits on Blue Mound Road, is tenatively set for Nov. 2.

Developer Ryan Cos. of Minneapolis, Minn., recently turned over the newly constructed building to Trader Joe's to prepare for occupation, said Tony Barranco, Ryan Cos. vice president of development.

The date could get accelerated or pushed back, Barranco cautioned.

But he said last week about 30 workers for Trader Joe's were in the building, installing casings and racks, preparing the interior for opening.

"They're doing a great job," he said.

Signage still isn't in place. But exterior construction is complete, along with landscaping, dark green canopies and sconce lighting.

The Brookfield location, at 128th and Bluemound Road, is Trader Joe's third Wisconsin store. In 2006 Trader Joe's opened locations in the Bayshore Town Center in Glendale and in Madison.

The California-based grocery chain — which has a cult-like fan base and employees dressed in Hawaiian shirts — is known for its private label specialty products and wines, including Charles Shaw bottles dubbed "Two Buck Chuck's" (now about $3). Trader Joe's is owned by the same German family that owns the Aldi discount grocery chain.

The Brookfield Trader Joe's is part of the Underwood Crossing complex that Ryan Cos. is developing on the approximately 20-acre site that formerly housed the Quebecor World printing plant.

A Target store opened, route: {:controller=>"articles", :action=>"show", :id=>"trader-joe-s-breaks-ground-as-target-underwood-crossing-unveiled"} --> at Underwood Crossing this summer and a PNC Bank is under construction. The shopping center is near Brookfield borders with Wauwatosa and Elm Grove and just received approval for another multi-tenant building to house a possible "fast-casual"